To Find You Again
by Suseh
Summary: Five years ago, Hermione walked out of her husband's life. Now in order to save their daughter's life, she will have to bargain with the devil himself.
1. One: Finding You Again

**To Find You Again**

**By Suseh**

**Chapter One**

Standing before the full length mirror, Hermione Jean Granger put on the last finishing touches of make-up before placing the small compact down on her dresser and stepping back to eye herself one final time. The black cocktail gown was elegantly molded to her petit frame with a slit on the side of her left thigh, giving a praising view of her toned legs. Her unruly chocolate curls had been swept upward into a bun where small ringlets fell about her face.

Hermione was not a beautiful woman, not in the model sense of the word. As a young girl growing up and learning magic in a foreign world, she was often teased about her teeth and her unruly bushy hair. It wasn't until her fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that Hermione was given a small stroke of luck by the means of a wayward spell that hit her. After cruelly being taunted by her professor, Hermione had run from the place in tears and to the infirmary to get her teeth fixed. Though her parents were dentists themselves, they did not have the magical means to help her, but Madame Pomfery did. As the evening arrived, Hermione returned flashing her newly created smile to her friends and making sure the Slytherins were aware of her accomplishment.

"Mummy," a small voice to her left shook her from her reverie causing Hermione to glance over at the young girl with platinum blond curls and winter blue eyes, "will you be gone long tonight?"

Hermione smiled at her daughter and sat down on the bed next to her beloved daughter. Her hand rose to thread her fingers through the strands of silky white hair. She hated leaving Rose behind. She had no true desire to go to this gala, but Robert had insisted she went. It was important to the shareholders of the company that their best and most prized employee showed up. Hermione had tried to find ways out of going, but Robert would hear none of it. He continued to hold his ground even going far to blackmail her into going.

"I will probably be there for an hour or two," Hermione answered finally. "It is important, apparently, that I attend this gala in hopes of gaining more monetary for upcoming projects the company has expressed interests in."

Rose furrowed her brows together. For a moment, Hermione could see Rose's father in that single expression. It had always been part of his expressions whenever he was in deep thought or something troubled him gravely. She remembered seeing that expression shortly before the final battle commenced.

"Can I lay here in your bed to wait for you?" Rose asked looking up at her mother with hope in her innocent eyes.

"I see no reason why not," Hermione answered. "I will ask Beatrice to check in on you. Now why don't you go into the kitchen and get you a glass of warm milk and some cookies before you get ready for bed?"

Rose nodded and bounded off her mother's bed, heading out into the small hallway of their flat. Hermione smiled watching her daughter leave. Despite Rose's ill health, the little girl still had enough energy within her tiny body that often it astounded Hermione. She could not fathom what it was that gave her such a boost and this worried her greatly. Her daughter's heart was failing and Hermione knew this – she was doing everything possible within the labs to find something to save her daughter, but even she knew it was not enough. Eventually, she realized with a deep sadness, her daughter was going to need some type of muggle surgery to keep her life going.

This was a problem. Hermione's job did not pay her enough to allow her to pay for such a surgical proceeding, not even her wizarding health insurance would cover it. Then again what muggle hospital would even accept such an insurance coverage? None of them, she suspected. After all, the wizarding world was not entirely known to the muggling population. It was only known to those of magical abilities or those borne into wizarding families but who had no magical capabilities within their blood that knew of the world.

Rose's acknowledgement of the magical world had been limited. She knew her mother was a witch when she had her first bursts of spontaneous magic at three. It had been through Hermione that her daughter had begun to learn to control her abilities to the best she could without the help of anyone within the magical community. Hermione had always considered it better no one knew Rose existed at the moment. It was Hermione's only way of escaping _his_ clutches. She knew _he_ would never step foot in the muggling world, so they were safe here among new friends and under other names.

The sound of the doorbell drew Hermione once more from her thoughts and she rose from the bed, heading out into the hallway and towards the front door.

"Coming!" She called out. She paused for a brief moment to fix herself one final time before answering the door.

Hermione opened the door and found Beatrice on the other side. The older woman greeted her with a smile and a warm hug.

"You look beautiful, love," Beatrice praised. "I think you will be knocking off the socks of many young men tonight."

Hermione found her cheeks coloring. "I don't think I am ready to date yet and besides Rose needs me too much right now."

"Of course, Jean," Bea remarked and entered into the small flat. "Where is Rose?"

At that moment, Rose came running into the living room. The corners of her mouth and her small hands covered in chocolate and milk.

"Aunt Bea!" The little girl greeted happily.

"Precious Rose," the woman returned sweeping down to scoop the girl into her arms. "Come along little one, let's get you cleaned up and ready for bed. How would you like a bedtime story?"

Rose squealed in delight as they left Hermione in the living area of the house alone. She saw this as the opportunity she needed to leave. Her daughter was in capable and loving hands and now she could go make her appearance, mingle with the crowd for an hour or two, and then head back home to prepare herself for another day.

Hermione reached for her purse and keys on the table and made her way out the door, locking it as she closed it softly behind her. She headed down the lighted hallway to the lift and paused to push the down button. She could hear the old thing squeak as it made its way up to the third floor. A small 'ping' alerted Hermione to the arrival of the lift and the opening of its doors. She stepped in and pressed the floor 1 button and settled herself back for the short journey down to the main floor.

As the lift glided back down, Hermione sighed. For a month now, she had been considering moving from this place and into something a bit larger for her and Rose to move around in. They had been at this flat since Hermione had given birth to Rose five years ago and now Hermione thought it was high time they found something else. Once again money had become an issue. Though her job paid well for her, it just was never enough for both she and Rose. They lived on what she made, but they made the best of it.

The small 'ping' alerted Hermione to arrival of the first floor as she stepped forward and exited once the doors opened. She made her way through the small lobby and out the door to her car just to the left. It took her only a moment to gain access entry to her car. She slid into the driver's seat and started the engine of her car. The old thing came to life with a purr, sending Hermione on her way to her destination.

* * *

She arrived at the grand ballroom in one of the finest hotels in London a bit later than she had wanted. The traffic she had encountered on the way had been rush hour, causing her to be late in her arrival. Nevertheless now, she was here and ready to mingle among the crowd in hopes of gaining the interests needed to fund several projects the company hoped to have the necessary expensive ingredients to. She could only hope that there were some prospective interests as some of the potions were to help those where the muggle world could not. These potions were the answer to most of the incurable diseases such as diabetes and AIDS, but only by the much needed funding would any of it come to fruitation.

"Jean, my dear, there you are!" Robert's voice wafted in her direction causing Hermione to snap her head to the right of her. Her boss was heading towards her. The small, balding man was in a jolly mood this evening as he greeted her warmly with a smile. "Come, I have been waiting for you. There are several prospecting investors who are interested in hearing of the possible findings you have upon curing diseases. If anyone could charm them, it would definitely be you."

Hermione felt her cheeks flush at the compliment. She had no idea that her boss truly believed in her. He might not always be a favorite of hers, but to hear him compliment her in such a fashion made her feel wanted more than anything.

"I will do my best to secure the needed funds for the projects," she assured him as they made their way over to a group of waiting investors.

"Gentlemen," Robert interrupted, "my lovely department head has finally arrived and she will be able to answer many of your questions, but first allow me to introduce her. This is Jean Logan."

Robert stepped to the side to allow his patrons to glimpse of the woman he had spoken of since their circle had grown. Many have heard him speak of her in high regards and now that she was here before them.

"Jean, these are the investors I spoke of a moment ago," he whispered to her moving her forward to allow her a better glimpse of the company of men.

Hermione murmured a "hello" to the group before sweeping her chocolate brown eyes over the sea of faces. When they landed on the last two figures within the circle, Hermione wanted more than ever to flee the group. He was standing at the end with his platinum blond hair pulled away from his face and silver eyes narrowing at her form. She knew he recognized her, but said nothing for a moment.

Hermione could feel the icy chill of his gaze traveling over her form. He was assessing her, she was certain of it, and allowing this new change and new name to implant themselves into his memory for later use. She had not even thought he would be interested in any sort potion investing. Malfoy Inc was always dedicated to business world of wizard technology. They had always managed to take over several broom companies that had been on the verge of bankruptcy. Now here he was as a possible investor of upcoming potion cures she had been working on.

A part of her wanted to flee quickly before he had a chance to access her privately and she was most sure that he had every intentions afterwards of having it. She could see the calculation in his gaze and watched him lean over to whisper something in the ear of his companion – Blaise Zabini. She watched as Blaise's gaze fell upon her for a moment and then nod his head.

"Gentlemen," she greeted her voice shaky as her legs were, "I am here to answer all your questions you might have. Please feel free to ask anything about our findings."

As the round of questions began, Blaise Zabini discreetly removed himself from the group with the excuse of getting himself a drink and also one for his companion, but Hermione knew better. It was Draco's way of making sure that the main route of escape was closed off to her. She was cornered and she knew it, but Hermione was determined to continue what she was doing. She wouldn't allow Draco to know he scared her at this point. It would give him the power he craved over her and this would not do for her. She had always been a passionate young woman, determined to leave her life as she saw fit. The past between them was just that the past. There was to be nothing further between them ever again.

* * *

To say that Draco Lucius Malfoy was in a silent rage was the understatement of the year. In fact, he was past all that. Standing before him was that of his missing wife answering all questions being posed her way and ignoring his presence all together, but he knew she was all to aware of his existence within this circled space. He had seen the fear flicker in her eyes briefly as she recognized him.

Draco leaned forward to his companion and whispered, "Well, well look what the Fates have returned to me."

Blaise's dark eyes fell upon the only woman of the group for a moment. It had been quite a long time since he had last seen her. She and Draco had just been in the early stages of their marriage and living quite happily at Malfoy Manor with his parents. Lucius and Narcissa had taken quite a liking to Hermione shortly before the war had come to a close. Hermione had been led to Malfoy Manor after her capture by Bellatrix Lestrange and both Lucius and Narcissa had been given a chance to know the young woman briefly.

Hermione had been placed in the dungeons with both Malfoys left in charge of her. It was during that time both had the chance to know the muggleborn who was being called "The Brightest Witch of Her Age". The exchanges between them were brief at most, but both Malfoys had a taste of understanding of what their son had been saying of her.

Blaise had heard nothing about the Malfoys after the war. He had no real way of contacting Draco or finding out anything about him and his family as the Ministry made sure all proceedings were kept locked away behind closed doors. Of course this came to really no huge surprise to the Slytherin. It was mainly a way of keeping the public in oblivion of the horrors suffered at the hands of the Deatheaters. Victims who were still alive were made to take the stands and suffer these horrors all over again. Most of them still unable to cope with it were carted off from the stand and taken to St Mungo's. Percy Weasley had been one of them. He had watched his own brother die and this caused him to go into such a state of shock that there had been no way of returning him back.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Blaise drew his attentions once more to Draco.

"I see the Fates have smiled upon you once more," he remarked smirking. "Now all you have to do is capture your queen again."

"I have a feeling she will try to get away. See to it that the only source of her escape is closed off."

"Of course, but first I need to get myself a drink."

Excusing himself from the group, Blaise headed in the direction of the bar leaving Draco once more to focus upon his estranged wife, who continued to ignore his presence all together.

* * *

"I do hope that each of you will consider the possibilities these fundings could do for the welfare of both the wizarding and muggle worlds," Hermione expressed once questions had ended.

"Seeing as you have been such an assurance of these possibilities, I will pledge galleons enough to see to the next few years of operations," Draco Malfoy spoke finally. "I would like a tour soon of these facilities and also any data upon future findings you and your colleagues have."

Hermione licked her lips nervously. There was no way she could deny his request, not publicly at least. Her boss would have a fit if she did and currently she could not afford to lose her job.

"Of course," she returned, "I can see to it that you are given a tour of the labs whenever you are free, Mr. Malfoy."

"Thank you, Miss _Logan_," he placed an emphasis upon her last name.

"Since questions are finished, I will take my leave now and mingle among the crowd. I hope the rest of you will consider investing with our firm," she tacked on before extracting herself from the group.

Moving away, Hermione found her footsteps moving urgently through the crowd. She had to get away from there before her legs gave way underneath her. Just seeing Draco again had brought back all those feelings she had managed to suppress for nearly six years. It had been hard on her seeing him once again and knowing that his anger with her had not dissipated in the least. No, it had grown much more than she had considered, but why was he angry with her anyways? She had given him the much needed time to file for divorce and marry Astoria as he should have. For her, marriage was for two people, not three. If Astoria wanted him, then she was far more welcomed to him. Draco was out of her life and in a few more months, Hermione would find a solicitor to dissolve her marriage. Malfoys didn't divorce nor did they cheat on their spouses, but Hermione could only surmise that Draco missed that in the fine print of the Malfoy Family Code.

Stepping out into the hall of the hotel, Hermione found herself breathing a sigh of relief. She had to gain back some ounce of strength within her body before she left this place. She had not even a chance to mingle among her colleagues and laugh with them, but she could not allow Draco to corner her or even find out where she lived now. It would be too much of a disaster.

"Where did I put those keys?" She murmured lifting her purse up and digging into the small bag to find them.

"Going somewhere, Hermione?" A voice from behind asked.

Hermione's spine stiffened as her keys slipped from her hands and down onto the marble tiled floor.

"No, I don't think you will leave yet," Blaise Zabini remarked. "Not until you and I have talked, don't you think?"

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Well here it is the expanded story of the one-shot, "A Daughter's Needs." I am well aware that some of the spoiler information from Book Seven is not correct. You see I decided to take a small creative license from it and add my own spin to it. Most of the other authors have been doing the same since the book came out last year. I will be no different from them.

Also I will not be updating this story unless my muse decides that she's in the mood. She's been like this for quite some time now. Most of it has been due to lack of sleep and stress, but I suppose that can happen now and again. I will do my best to have the next chapter out before the middle of August. I tend to be a perfectionist and I want this story to be enjoyed. :D That is why it often takes me time to have chapters out.

For now, I am also going to give this story a PG rating. It can change with time, but we shall see. I do thank you all for the chance in reading this.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter and its characters. If I did, I would not be here writing fanfiction.


	2. Two: Into Motion

**To Find You Again**

**By Suseh**

**Chapter Two**

With her back still turned towards Blaise, Hermione took a moment to berate herself for allowing him to sneak up on her as he had. If she had not been so intent on fleeing quickly, she could have been able to counter any sort of obstacles Draco had come up with intent to keep her there until he could corner her himself.

Instead she had allowed herself to be drawn into panic and forced to drop her car keys onto the floor allowing the enemy the upper hand. Now she would have to find some alternate plan of escaping Blaise and she was certain such a thing was definitely going to be hard to do.

"Talk?" She asked bending down to retrieve her keys from the floor and holding them tightly in her grip. "I don't believe we have anything to discuss, Blaise. I am quite certain you coming to me on the behalf of my estranged husband will not do any good with me."

Blaise allowed his lips to curl into a amused smile. "I am sure it will cure my curiosity. I have yet to understand why you would disappear from him. Most of us had considered your marriage to Draco quite the match made in Heaven with the exception of Pansy of course. I think she was the only one who took his marriage to a mud- err muggleborn horribly."

Hermione turned around to look at Blaise. "Exactly where is this conversation going? I don't believe you halted me in the hallway just to reminisce about the past."

Pushing himself from the doorway of the room, he stepped further inward into the hall, glancing around to see if there were others around. He did not want eavesdroppers listening into their conversation. It would do either of them any good if anyone learned that Jean was actually the estranged wife of one of the men they were courting for financial help.

Retrieving the wand from his robes, he placed up a silencing spell up and tucked the wand back into his robes.

"I thought we could talk about your reasoning for leaving Draco as you did," he remarked. His tone had a hint of seriousness to it. "After all one doesn't walk away from her marriage without an explanation."

"I do believe you are far too nosey," she retorted. "I don't have time for this, Zabini. Now if you will excuse me I want to go home and be far away from your annoying presence and forget the presence of the one who thinks the world's axis spins just for him."

Blaise chuckled lightly. She was still fiery after all these years. He was certain Draco had tamed her once and would enjoy taming his wife once again when he finally settled matters between them.

"You know you won't be able to escape him now that he knows who you are masquerading as," he warned. His dark eyes bored into her. "I don't think he's going to let you go just like that now."

"Now that you have clearly warned me allow me to head home to pack quickly and flee the country again," she taunted. "Maybe he will get the message that our marriage is over finally and sign the divorce papers."

"You should know more than anything Malfoys do not divorce. It's not a word associated within their vocabulary."

"Sadly the word 'adultery' hasn't been erased," Hermione sighed and shook her head. Enough was enough. She needed to leave before Draco came out and made things worse than they were already. She had nothing to say to him anymore and she wanted nothing to do with him either. As far as she was concerned, he didn't need to know either of Rose. "Now if you will excuse me I need to get home and prepare for work in the morning."

Blaise sighed. The conversation between them was definitely not going the way he had wanted. Draco was taking too long and he could no longer stall Hermione from leaving the hallway. He had not even achieved what he had set out for – finding out the reason behind her desertion of their marriage. His friend had been clueless to the fact of Hermione's sudden disappearing act and now his chances were gone.

"Not going to run away again?" He inquired glancing down at his manicured nails.

Hermione, who had been heading towards the direction of the lobby and her freedom, halted sharply in her steps and spun around to face her estranged husband's friend. Her dark eyes narrowed at the male standing before her.

"No I don't plan on doing so anytime in the future," she answered coldly, "but then that isn't any of your business either. "

With that said she turned once more on the heels of her shoes and made her way quickly into the lobby leaving Blaise behind in the hallway.

* * *

Draco Malfoy was not in the happiest moods.

His opportunity to confront Hermione was gone. He had seen her leave with Blaise hot on her heels, only to find his friend remerging several minutes later alone. He could see that whatever had transpired between the two had not gone accordingly. His friend seemed to be lost in thought and Draco could do nothing either to catch a moment of conversation with Blaise.

With the hour growing late and several meetings already scheduled for a good part of the morning and afternoon, Draco Malfoy excused himself from his present company with promises of visiting the labs soon and made his way towards the room's exit. His mind was still in overdrive with thoughts of Hermione. He still couldn't believe the gracious luck Lady Luck had bestowed upon him this eve. It had taken every ounce of willpower not to pull her away from the company they had been ensconced in and demand an explanation for her departure from their marriage.

Running his hands through his platinum blond locks, Draco still had not a clue to why Hermione had walked out of their marriage. She had left nothing but a single note behind telling him to not even bother looking for her…that he would never find her and he believed her. After a year of searching for her, she had done exactly what she had set out to do – erase herself from his life. He had considered several times that she had either changed her name or used a glamour spell upon herself, but the latter had been disproven tonight.

"I do believe your wife has no intentions of kissing and making up with you anytime in the future," Blaise stated smirking.

Draco turned to his friend and glared. "I want you to find out where Jean Logan lives and I want whatever information you can find upon her upon my desk in the morning."

"I have already been in touch with Theo and set it into motion," Blaise said shrugging his shoulders. "He said to tell you that he would send the information via owl once he had received it. But in all seriousness, Draco, do you honestly think she's going to allow such information freely? I wouldn't put it passed her to have already considered such matters and placed some displacement spell upon them. She wasn't said to be the smartest witch of our age for nothing."

Silently Draco couldn't help but to agree with Blaise. His wife made certain he had not been able to track her.

"She couldn't have hidden all her information," he reminded his friend. "She may be smart but even the smartest have a way of stumbling."

* * *

Parking her car, Hermione stepped out and glanced around the parking lot. Good. No one had followed her home as she had hoped. It had taken her numerous detours and into several unsavory parts of town before she had finally reached the safety of her flat's parking lot. Though not completely paranoid, she still had to make sure that any pursuers would get themselves lost allowing her a chance of escape.

Exhaling a breath Hermione hurried across the empty parking lot and into the building. Her mind was racing to the events of the evening. She had no idea that her boss had any acknowledgement of the Malfoys and could only assume that he had met him somewhere sometime ago. Since she could not remember him in the least, she could only assume it had been recent or perhaps after her hasty departure from the manor.

Turning her thoughts away from her boss for the moment, Hermione considered her estranged husband. She couldn't help but admire the change he had gone through. His platinum hair had grown longer almost to the point that she could have mistaken him for Lucius himself, but it had been the silvery blue eyes that told her that it had not been the elder Malfoy. No Lucius' eyes were much more silver and had no blue in them. So it had been only one left.

Briefly she wondered how the elder Malfoys were doing. She had not seen them in the paper in over a year when Lucius had announced his intentions of retiring from the public eye. Narcissa had been at his side in the article still beautiful. She could not fathom the reasoning behind their decision but Hermione could only consider that Lucius had been the one to have made the final decision. Had they left England?

No she doubted it. Narcissa adored her son far too much to be away from him and she would have insisted that they remained nearby. Did they think of her?

Hermione shook her head and stepped into the lift pressing the button that would send her to her floor. There was no point in dwelling upon such matters. She wasn't going to go back and now she was going to have to put a _Fidelius Charm_ upon her flat. She knew Draco would have already set into motion finding her.

Hermione couldn't allow her husband to find her. It would not do their daughter any good right now. Rose's health was delicate at most and uprooting her from her home and placing her in something grander and larger would only cause more harm than good. First she would have to settle matters with her husband before made the move to announce Rose was his daughter, but how?

This was a question she was not certain she could answer right now.

The ding of the lift shook Hermione out of her reverie. Pushing away her thoughts, she stepped out of the lift and made her way down the narrowed hall towards her apartment door. She couldn't wait to shower and curl up to her daughter.

Unlocking her door and entering into the room she was greeted by a smiling Beatrice. The older woman had been in the kitchen when she had heard the turning of the locks and made her way into the living area of the flat.

"How did it go my dear?" Beatrice inquired curiously once Hermione had entered and shut the door behind her.

_I met Rose's father again_, Hermione wanted to say but couldn't bring herself to speak them aloud. Instead she offered her friend with, "I think we have the financial backers we need to continue the researches. I believe one of them will be visiting the labs soon to give a thorough inspection and hopefully the approval needed."

Beatrice looked at Hermione with a thoughtful expression. "I am glad to hear that. Come I made some bread and coffee. You look like you need someone to talk to for a bit."

Hermione couldn't help but smile as she followed the older woman into the kitchen. "You are true godsend, Bea."

* * *

**Author's Note**: I want to take a moment to thank my French translator, la pitchoune, who is taking the time to translate this story for my French readers. You do not know how I have come to appreciate this immensely and I want my French readers to know that you are truly awesome!

I also want to take a moment to apologize for not posting this. There has been much going on in my life that has kept me from taking a moment to sit in front of my laptop to do any sort of posting lately. Much of it has to do with a friend who has taken the incentive to cause me more migraines than the norm. I cannot promise that the next part will be out any time soon, but I am going to try to work hard on getting it out before the New Year.

If I do not post again before the new year, I wish my readers to have the best holidays and I look forward to hearing from you in the New Year. 3 Thank you all.

**Dedication**: To my translater, la pitchoune, for being wonderful.


	3. Three: Decisions

**To Find You Again**

**By Suseh**

**Chapter Three**

Settling herself into the driver's seat of her car, Hermione paused for a moment and laid her head down onto the steering wheel. She felt drained after exiting the doctor's office with Rose in tow and even worse had been the results she had been dreading for months: her daughter's heart was failing and there had to be something done soon in order to prolong the extension of her life, but the surgery in question was rather expensive and she could not afford it in the least.

_You may not be able to but Draco could_, a voice inside her remarked smugly.

In that brief moment, Hermione wanted to strangle that voice and drag it's carcass through burning hot coals. There was no way in the deepest regions of Hell she would dare seek out her estranged husband and ask him to help. She couldn't. It would upset the delicate balance both she and Rose had managed to settle themselves into with this life. Draco would only come and up heave its very foundation.

_Still_, the voice reasoned softly, _Rose won't survive another few months if you don't swallow your pride and ask for the money needed to save her_.

Hermione was really starting to hate that voice. It was sounding too much like Molly Weasley for her tastes but the voice was definitely right: the money was needed for Rose and if she had to, she would do anything the devil asked of her to save Rose.

"Mom?" Rose's soft voice broke through her mother's thoughts, her winter blue eyes looking at her mother with a concern floating in their depths. "Is there something wrong?"

Hermione lifted her head from the steering wheel and reached out to touch her daughter brushing away strands of hair from her face.

"No, love," she assured her only child with a smile, "I am just tired. I didn't sleep at all last night."

It was really no lie. She had not slept at all these past few days. Her thoughts had been continuously returning to Draco. No matter how hard she tried to push him to the back of her mind, he was always there in the deepest recesses waiting for her over and over again. She knew she should not be thinking of him at this point. She should be focused upon trying to find the options necessary to save her daughter's life; but as she sat there in the driver's seat, her only option was seeking her estranged husband for help. He was the only who could give her the loan for Rose's operation bu t there would come a price to all this, she knew. Draco did not give things out for free. There was always a catch to his generosity and one she was certain she would not escape unscathed.

Sighing inwardly, Hermione pushed the key into the ignition and started up the car. She turned to look over at Rose and asked, "How about we go have lunch together somewhere?"

Rose's face lit up and she bounced slightly in her seat. "McDonald's!"

"McDonald's it is then," agreed Hermione as she put the car and reverse and pulled the car out gently from the parking spot they had managed to procure.

Once they were out in the middle of the parking street, she pulled the stick into drive and maneuvered through the small maze towards the hospital's exit.

* * *

Draco Malfoy ran his fingers through his long platinum blond hair and looked at the folder Blaise had tossed upon his desk. He had not expected his friend to carry out his orders so quickly but he was pleased nevertheless. He was certain he would learn enough about his estranged wife to satisfy his curiosity before he confronted her soon. He had already made the appointment necessary to tour the potion's lab she was working in and even saw to it that it would be bshe/b who would be leading him around. This was the opportunity he was seeking and one he would see to it that happened. He had no intentions whatsoever of letting her go once he had her once more within his grasp. She had played her little game long enough for him and now it was time for her to return to the Malfoy Fold where she belonged.

"Everything I could dig up is in there," Blaise offered causing Draco to shake himself from his reverie.

Draco lifted the sleeve of the folder and eyed its contents. There wasn't much contained within. There had to be mostly four to five pieces of paper with information covering Hermione's whereabouts and life after leaving him but he was certain there was more missing from these pages. His wife was one of the smartest witches on the planet and she had done a thorough job of keeping most of her life hidden away from public view before changing her identity.

"Did you find anything on Jean Logan or should I say Hermione's alter ego?" Draco inquired allowing the sleeve to slip from his fingertips, his silver eyes lifting to stare upward at his best friend.

Blaise shrugged and took a seat in one of the red leather chairs setting in front of Draco's desk. "Not much could be located upon her. It seems like anything about her has disappeared from any of the Ministry archives."

"Hermione," he breathed his wife's name. He was sure now that his wife had definitely cleaned up any further information about herself by removing all information possible that she could. He had always considered that such a task would be difficult to be carried especially with the Ministry a stickler for keeping their records clear of anyone who wasn't personnel. This led Draco to believe that Hermione had help, but whom? She had no contact with Harry and his family nor Ron and his own family of Weasleys. So who? Who worked in the Ministry?

Draco's thin platinum brows knotted together in thought. He could think of none of their classmates that worked within the Ministry's vast corridors that could help her.

"Luna Lovegood," Blaise's suggestion caused Draco to look at his friend and shock to spread across his features.

"Ah yes I had forgotten about Loony Lovegood," Draco admitted schooling his features once more. "Hermione never really mentioned her much when we were together. I can only surmise that they didn't start until Hermione needed someone's help within the Ministry to erase her footsteps."

"It wouldn't have been hard for Lovegood to do just that," Blaise acknowledged tapping his finger against the tip of his chin. "She has access to most information as she is the Under Secretary to the Minister."

"Then it's time to pay her a visit, don't you think?"

Blaise smiled. "I do believe it is. I haven't seen my favorite Ravenclaw in quite a number of years. I think it's time to reacquaint myself with her again."

"Tread carefully," Draco warned, "Lovegood is no fool and won't be swayed by you easily."

Blaise flashed his friend a smile before rising from the chair and heading towards the door. "I will keep in touch with you soon."

* * *

Strumming her fingers across the polished oak desk, Hermione's chocolate-colored eyes stared forward and out the window of her flat. Rose was sleeping after having a fill of lunch. Her body exhausted from a long day of being prodded and probed with various objects in hopes of finding the cause to her illness. This had been an on-going part of Rose's life since she was one-years-old. Hermione had done everything possible to continue to give her daughter a normal healthy life but there was always that single reminder of Rose's fragile health - her heart. Where normal kids romped and played outside with other kids in various games of tag or sports, Rose remained recluse inside the flat preferring books over the company of other children.

Hermione felt her heart break. More than anything, she knew her daughter craved the interaction with other children. She wanted to be out there with them romping and playing whatever games they were but knew her heart would not be able to handle it and thus she remained locked up with her books as her only friends.

The appointment today held much promise but the problem was the funds that needed to be raised and right now she did not have it to give her daughter the needed procedure to save her life. The only one who could give her that was Draco himself but this would mean telling him of Rose's existences. She knew her husband enough to know that this little unknown fact would not go unpunished in his eyes. He would see it as her robbing him of the first moments in his daughter's life and Hermione would not blame him in the least for hating her, but at the same time, she did not want to submit Rose to her father's infidelity. It was enough that she had been humiliated by it but she would keep Rose from it all together.

But Draco was also the one who could save Rose and give her the life she craved. Hermione was willing to overlook her husband's infidelity if he could help procure the funds for the operation.

Halting her strumming, Hermione bit her lip. She would have no choice but to seek out Draco for help and maybe - just _maybe_ - she could find a compromise between the two of them, but this would not mean that she would be willing to return to their marriage. Not by the long run. She had no desire to return to something where her husband couldn't decide between his marriage and a life of a bachelor.

Hermione propelled herself away from the window and decided she needed the advice of someone else. She knew Beatrice would be willing to listen to her and she would have much to explain to the older woman and even demonstrate her magical abilities to her. She had never told Beatrice of the magical world because she always thought it would never come to this but now that it had, she was given no choice in the matter.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Please forgive me for not having this finished last month. This chapter isn't very long as I had hoped but I thought it best to end it as it was for the time being. I started it during the middle of the month but then I have had a few things happen in my life. Everything from my sister being run over by a car to the death of one of my dogs to another one having a mild stroke. For right now, I hope this will be enough to satisfy my readers. :D I do want to thank you all for who have added it to their alerts, favorites, and who have reviewed it. It has made me very happy. 3 Thank you all for your support to this story.


	4. Four: Dirty Little Secret

**To Find You Again  
By Suseh**

**Chapter Four**

**

* * *

  
**

Setting her cup of tea down onto the clothed table of her breakfast table, Beatrice eyed her young companion with a sympathetic gaze. The young woman in front of her had her head downward allowing a curtain of chocolate curls to fall forward over her face. It had taken the young woman much courage to come to her and give her a detailed account of her life before coming here, even going as far to prove that she was part of the magical world that had been veiled from the rest of the world.

Beforehand, Beatrice had humored the young woman believing that Hermione was on the verge of a nervous breakdown especially now with Rose's health on the decline; but once Hermione had demonstrated her magical abilities, Beatrice had no choice but to consider the possibilities of everything she had said being true. She couldn't believe that magic was indeed real and that there were real people practicing it behind a veil, keeping their lives separate from those who did not share the magical bloodline. Hermione had explained the three types of bloodlines to her - muggleborn, half-blood, and pureblood. Each bloodline being unique in their own special ways, but with the latter of them being able to boost their magical line pure without a muggleborn or half-blood tainting their precious line.

It was one of purest lines that Hermione had married her into. It had been a story that sounded unrealistic especially with so much information of their childhood together as enemies up to their courtship. She had to admit, even to herself, that the story reminded her very much of Romeo and Juliet but without either party dying for love.

"I was a fool to believe him," Hermione's soft words broke through Beatrice's thoughts causing the older woman to frown slightly at the mess of a young woman.

"Not a fool, luv," Beatrice assured her as she reached out to pat her hand motherly. "No one could fault you for that. Love makes a person blind to what is around them,"

Raising her head and trying to keep her tears at bay, Hermione gave the older woman a sad smile. She was right; love had made her completely blind before their marriage. Had the signs of his infidelity been there all along? Hermione could only grimly surmise that it had been. She had thought he had loved only her - hadn't he sworn that the night he had asked her to marry him?

Pushing away the thoughts from her mind, Hermione shook her head.

"I am afraid, Bea," she admitted to the older woman. "I am afraid that once he learns that about Rose things will get ugly. Malfoys don't take lightly of their toys being taken away and Draco is no different. I am quite certain he's going to be entirely furious with the notion he missed Rose's first steps but I-I can't go back to him. I can't be in a marriage where my husband divides his time between his own wife and his mistress. I won't allow there to be four in a marriage. It would be too crowded."

Bea frowned watching Hermione retract her hands from her tea cup and slump in defeat, her shoulders sagging forward.

"But for Rose, I have no choice," she whispered softly, her voice breaking with the sound of tears. "I can't let my own daughter die because her mother was too selfish to ask her father for help. What kind of mum would I be?"

* * *

Sitting at her desk with the Quibbler grasped between her hands and up in front of her face, Luna Lovegood immersed herself into the stories her father had written. She had brought the morning copy with her in order to give it a thorough going-through but she had been busy in the morning. Several Ministry workers had come to bother her with retrieving papers on various wizards and witches to bringing her several stacks of papers that had to be filed away in their respective places. It had been quite a busy morning for her and now that she had a few moments to herself, she wanted to enjoy the quietness that came with it.

Humming softly a tune that she had recalled being sung to her years ago by her mother, Luna laid the paper down onto the desk and ran her hands over the copy to keep the papers straight and crisp. Her blue eyes were glazed over with that far away look in them but her mind sharply aware of what was going on around her. She might like to live in her dream-like world but there was still a huge part of her that kept her feet planted firmly in the real world.

The sound of the office door opening drew Luna away from the contents of a story dealing with the evidence of Bigfoot being a magical creature released centuries ago by a mad wizard into the muggle world. It had been meant to scare muggles from magical areas but before she could divulge further into the fascinating article, her eyes lifted to the intruder who now stood in the doorway of her office door.

"Blaise Zabini," Luna acknowledged in a soft dreamy tone, "what brings you to this part of the Ministry?"

Blaise Zabini gave the former Ravenclaw a dazzling smile showing off his white perfectly set teeth. "I was in the neighborhood and thought I would drop in to offer you a chance to leave this stuffy office for lunch."

Luna said nothing for a moment as her slender blond brows furrowed together in thought. She was well-aware this was going to be no ordinary lunch; he wanted isomething/i from her but what? Luna couldn't fathom what it was Blaise was after. He had never shown her an ounce of interest in the past and now here he was offering to take her out to lunch. Although she was suspicious of the offer, she was left with no choice but to accept. It would, after all, lead her to learn the real reason behind it.

"I would love to," she answered finally rising from her seat and leaving her paper opened and forgotten. "Let me grab my purse from the back and we can go."

"Take your time," he replied as he waited for her to return from the other room. His hazel-green eyes swept over the tiny office and then over to the closed door. He could only surmise that it was the door that led to what he sought and he had to figure out a way to get in there without drawing further suspicion away from the Ravenclaw. It was not going to be entirely easy on his part but Blaise would make it worth while for the Ravenclaw. He would make sure that by the end of the day she would willing give over all her secrets - and that of Hermione Malfoy - to him.

Pleased with himself and this idea of this working in his favor, Blaise straightened his black tie and turned his gaze once more to Luna's returning small frame.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked cocking his head in her direction.

"Yes," she said retrieving her office keys from near her computer and turned off the screen. She opened her purse and dropped the keys inside. "I only have an hour left."

"Then let us hurry to enjoy our luncheon together," he said turning away from her and heading out the door in which he had arrived through. He could hear Luna scurrying behind him. Her soft shoes quietly slapping against the concrete of the Ministry hallway.

* * *

Draco Malfoy threaded his fingers through his long platinum blond locks and lifted his silvery blue eyes skyward to the ceiling. It had been a rather long afternoon filled with meeting after meeting and finally he had a moment to himself to think. He had not had such a moment either to decide his estrange wife's fate since the day after seeing her again. He had already tried bribing several Ministry officials in order to gain access to her files as Jean Logan but all had politely declined the offer of money.

For Malfoy it was maddening not to know anything of the life Hermione had made for herself. He knew next to nothing of what of the acquaintances she had or if now she was with anyone else. The very idea of her being with anyone angered him. He had refused to sign the divorce papers long ago, stating quite clearly to his wife's solicitor that, "Malfoys do not divorce."

It was no lie on his part. Divorce within the Malfoy Family was rather unheard of. It was even a word Malfoys detached themselves from. Although most of the earlier marriages within the family were arranged (like that of his ancestors and his parents), the couples were given the leeway to lead separate lives shortly after the birth of an heir and that of a spare. Some Malfoys were fortunate enough to find love much like him when he had chosen Hermione to share his life with.

He still had not a clue to why she had abandoned their marriage. During the first month of her disappearance, he had spent his nights pacing the floor of their bedroom trying to wrack his brain of reasons why she had left and nothing had ever come to mind. This bothered Malfoy greatly. He hated not knowing what he had done to drive her away. He had thought they were happy and that they had their lives ahead of them together as couple.

Draco leaned his head back against the black leather wing of his chair and let out a frustrated sigh. A part of him had been thrilled to see her that night but the other half of him had been furious enough to drag her out of the room by her arm. She had made him a fool and he would never forgive her for that.

Pressing his thoughts of Hermione to back of his mind for later analyze, Draco drew back his attentions towards the stacked papers waiting for either his signature for approval or his stamp of rejection. For a moment, he did not want to even want to consider work. He wanted to leave his office, clear his mind, and get himself a breath of fresh air. Perhaps then he could come back in and work before deciding the next course of action for his marriage.

Pushing his chair back, Draco removed himself from it and retrieved his wand from desk, slipping it into the hidden pocket underneath his left sleeve of his robes. He made his way out of his office and brushed past his secretary as he barked out, "I'm going out. Hold all my calls and cancel all my meetings for the rest of the day."

He didn't even give the poor woman a moment's chance to say anything back before he stepped into the opened elevator lift and pressed the level floor button.

* * *

With lunch spread out upon the table before them, Luna and Blaise settled down to eat quietly. The silence was uncomfortable for Luna. She was not quite used to eating with a Slytherin. Most of the time when she went out to eat with friends, they were mostly of the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor variety. There was always conversation flowing from them but lunch with a Slytherin was a far different experience. For one thing, it was deafening quiet and certainly there had to be a reason behind the invitation to lunch. Slytherins didn't _do_ casual lunches without reason.

"I must say your invitation to lunch was rather surprising at best for me," Luna commented hoping to open the floor between them to the flow of conversation and eventually the breal/b reason revealed. Her water blue eyes searched his dark features for a moment looking for a reaction. An emotion. But received nothing more than a slender raised brow and schooled features set into an unreadable mask.

For Miss Lovegood, this did not forebode well with her at all. She could normally read someone as if they were a mere page from the Quibbler spread out and opened before her to every single interpretation but Blaise Zabini was as readable as a stoned gargoyle. A slight frown marred the corners of her mouth as she lowered the fork.

"Oh?" was the only response he was willing to give her for a moment.

"We were hardly friends at Hogwarts," she stated, "and I must say you have me quite curious to your reasons behind this...lunch."

Retrieving the clothed napkin from his lap and touching the corners of his mouth with it before setting it back down, Blaise reached for the fluted glass of wine and took a sip. Over the brim of the glass, his hazel eyes gazed calculating at the young woman across from him. He was quite certain that Luna was everything he had heard of while at Hogwarts but having her in front of him did not truly prepare him. Oh by no means was he in love with her. No merely fascinated with her and nothing more. He was certain that once he had the response he had come for, he would be finished with her all together.

"Can't two schoolmates meet up and have lunch?" He asked with a lopsided grin. "It has been quite a long time, _Luna_, and we have much to catch up on."

The emphases on her name caused her spine to straighten and her body to stiffen at the familiarity of her name. She finished the last bites of her lunch and laid her fork down onto the empty china plate.

"I don't believe this is merely a luncheon to catch up on lost time," she replied in her dreamy tone. "We don't have anything to catch up on as we were never friends from beginning to the end of school. So what is your real reason behind this little _date_?"

"Let's discuss Jean Logan or should I say _Hermione Granger-Malfoy_."

He watched in amusement of the colorful array of emotions filtered across her features - confusion, recognition, realization - before finally settling into a horrified expression.

"I think," he continued as he eyed her lazily, "we have much to talk about. I have already discussed it with your Supervisor and he was more than willing to allow you to have the rest of the afternoon off."

Luna swallowed hard and knew she had fallen right into the snake pit.

* * *

With Rose settled down into bed, Hermione re-entered the living room and plopped down on the couch ready to go over several important files dealing on the results of potion effects had on the volunteers who had taken them. She had pressed the important papers off to the side during the day as she was still trying to deal with the idea of being forced to tell Draco of Rose's existence. She still had not settled the matters within her head but thought work would do the trick to give her more time to consider the matter later on.

Hermione began to sort through the papers skimming over several important data when a knock on the door roused the black print upon the paper. Her lips turned downward into a frown. It was far too late to have visitors, she was certain of it. Could it be Bea? Had Rose left something behind at her home? There was really no way of answering that, she supposed, unless she answered the door.

"Coming," she called out and raised from the comforts of the couch, moving across the room towards the door, her hand reaching out and twisting the old brass knob upon her door. As the door swung open, she was really surprised to find the figure on the other side. "Luna, what are you doing here so late?"

"We have to talk, 'mione," she whispered. "Can I come in?"

Hermione moved to the side and allowed the blond to enter into her home before peering out into the hallway and then shutting the door behind them.

"Blaise came to see me, Hermione, today," she began wringing her hands together, "and took me to lunch. This was no ordinary lunch. He knows I know where you are."

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Forgive me for closing it there. xD I honestly wanted to continue it more but I needed the cliffhanger that would give me the push to start up the next chapter. I do not know when the next chapter will be out at this time. I am looking at possibly the end of this month to around next month sometime. My sister still needs therapy and we are trying to get her the appointment necessary to help her heal better.

Since I had the leisure at this time, I thought I would go ahead and write this chapter for you all. :D I do hope you have enjoyed it. I wish to thank you all for the reviews and the favorites!

And to my French readers, thank you so much!


	5. Five: Nosey Slytherins

**To Find You Again  
By Suseh**

**Chapter Five**

_"...__He knows I know where you are."_

For a moment, Hermione had hoped the words coming from Luna were nothing short of a prank but the look in the blonde's blue eyes were telling her that she was not playing any sort of games, that this was truth and now her quiet little world would soon come crashing around her ears like glass falling to the ground. She could not fathom how Blaise had managed to gain access to her files. She had put a pretty strong confusion spell upon it but then Blaise was no ordinary wizard either. He had been a smart character while they had been school and perhaps would have been considered Head Boy but Blaise had no interest whatsoever in taking up something that required his time. He preferred the solitaire existence he had led before he had been even a thought in the new professor's head as a candidate. Instead he let Draco, who had been the forerunner for the title, to take the covenant role.

Blaise was also best friends with Draco Malfoy. The two had become close friends during the summer of their sixth. She didn't know what led to such a friendship, only that he had become a permanent fixture at her husband's side and even became his right-hand man when everyone had once thought such roles were given to Crabbe and Goyle. Of course Hermione learned the two bumbling fools were more minions and bodyguards than what Draco deemed an honor to be called his right-handed wizard.

Ron and Harry used to joke with her before she and Draco had anything between them that there was probably something much more between the two. It was weird, according to both boys, not to see one without the other.

"You would think they were joined at the hip," Harry would laugh but Hermione had observed enough to know that the relationship had been purely platonic.

It wasn't until the early stages of their marriage and after the war that she saw the wizard again. He and Draco had lost contact after the war and were trying to re-establish a connection between the two again. It seemed to make her husband happy to have his friend back in his life. After Crabbe's death, Draco had changed slightly becoming much more sullen than she had ever seen him. Although he had continued to stay in touch with Goyle, it still wasn't the same for Draco. The three of them had been together for so long and to lose one of them had taken a piece of Draco from himself. Her husband might not have admitted it at the time (or ever) but he always held a fondness for the two of them.

Hermione shook her head to clear her mind of her thoughts and drew back her attentions once more towards her friend. Clearly Luna seemed worried about this and knew that as Hermione's secret keeper, her safety and that of Rose's could be compromised but Hermione needed to assure Luna that none of this was her fault. After all, how could she have known the links her estranged husband would go through just to find her again?

"Sit down, Luna," Hermione spoke finally gesturing to one of the many sofas in the apartment for her to take. "Would you like some tea to settle your nerves?"

The former Ravenclaw nodded her head as she sank down into the nearest sofa chair and watched Hermione disappear into the kitchen. Luna's fingertips nervously played with the edges of cuffed shirt. She didn't understand how the Gryffindor could be taking this so well when she was panicking. She was afraid for Hermione and Rose and understood that Draco Malfoy would go through the deepest channels of Hell to return Hermione to her place as his wife. It didn't matter whether or not Hermione was willing or not.

It was nothing more than a few moments later that Hermione returned carrying a tray with a pot of freshly made tea and two china cups. She laid the tray down onto the table and picked up the tea pot, tipping it over to pour the hot brown liquid into both cups. Setting the pot back down, she reached for one of them and extended it out towards her friend.

"This should help," Hermione replied and settled herself nicely upon the couch; she quickly organized her papers and placed them on the table behind her. "Forgive me I have had much work to catch up on and most of it needs to be finished before the week is out."

Luna placed her cup down and shook her head. "No, I understand, Hermione. I didn't mean to barge over here as I did and scare you."

"Its fine," assured the former Gryffindor with a warm smile. "I should have known Draco would send out Blaise to search out for my secret keeper. I wouldn't put it past either of them to figure out with neither Ron nor Harry in Britain that it would have to be someone else. Still I must say I am impressed that Blaise would seek you out first. I would have thought that he might have gone after Neville or perhaps other members of the DA unless....there was something between the two of you that I missed during our final year."

Luna's cheeks pinked. "Briefly but nothing more than that," she was quick to give Hermione and picked up her cup again to take another sip of the warming liquid.

Hermione's brow rose for a moment. She had no idea about that but seeing as her friend had no wish to talk about it, she didn't press the matter further. Maybe in the future Luna would give her the sordid details of a failed relationship. Perhaps even the two could commiserate together over it with a bowl of ice cream and a movie.

"It doesn't matter anymore," Hermione replied again. "I remove you from having to keep my location a secret because I will have to seek out Draco sometime soon. Rose needs an operation and I just don't have the funds to afford it. It's in Rose's best interest that Draco knows of her."

At this revelation, Luna's eyes widened. She had no idea that Rose's health was that much in trouble. The little girl had never shown any signs of a deteriorating health before. This must be completely devastating to Hermione. She could only surmise the turmoil the other must be going through having found out her daughter's life hung in the balance by a simple operation and the funds needed to have it done.

"But Hermione Draco is going to be furious with you once he learns he has a daughter!" Luna exclaimed setting her cup back down and looking at her friend with concerned blue eyes. "You know this will be dangerous, don't you? Asking him for money to help Rose? You know he's going to set the rules for giving you the funds. It doesn't matter regardless Rose is his daughter; he's going to make you pay for that."

Hermione thinned her lips together in a grim line. She had considered this a possible. She knew her husband would not give her something like money without wanting something back. She was certain that he would demand access to Rose twenty-four seven and she was prepared to allow it to him. It was unfair to him anyways for having kept their daughter out of his life but she had done it out of necessity (and perhaps a bit of selfish reasoning).

"I am aware of that," came her answer after a brief pause of thought, "but I have no choice in this matter, Luna. Rose's life hangs in the balance and I will do anything for my daughter even if means going into the snake's pit just to get the help needed to save her."

"I can only hope this is the right thing," Luna whispered reaching out to lay a comforting hand on her friends.

"Me too," agreed Hermione softly giving her friend a gentle squeeze.

* * *

As Blaise entered Malfoy's office, he found his friend immersed in several folders scattered around him. He knew that Draco's company was overtaking several other businesses within muggle London and could only safely assume that these were the contracts that had been given to him to go over one final time before he would sign them.

"Perhaps having your nose always in work was probably the reason Granger left your sorry ass," Blaise mused aloud, closing the door soundly behind him and causing Draco's head to snap upward. "You know what those muggles are always saying: 'all work and no play make you a dull boy.'"

Draco let out an exasperated sigh and sunk back into the comforts of his leather chair. "I see you are back from your lunch date with Lovegood."

"Of course," Blaise remarked plopping down onto one of the leather chairs occupying the space in front of Draco's wide oak desk, "and I must say she hasn't changed quite a bit."

"I never could quite understand what you saw in Looney Lovegood," Draco remarked with a shake of his head. "What did you learn from her?"

At this, Blaise gave his friend a wide toothy smile. "Enough to know that iyour/i wife used her as her Secret Keeper. Lovegood didn't have to tell me as I had already figured it out the moment she started getting nervous. Those not part of any secret keeping have anything to fear but Luna had as she feared she would spill Granger's location."

"I am surprised that she didn't use Potter and the Weasel," Draco admitted. "They had been close during and after the war but I can see the reason as to _why_ Lovegood was of use to her. She knew that I would have sought out Potter and Weasel only to learn I was chasing tail. I would have no reason to suspect Lovegood in the least as both she and Hermione were never close friends."

"I must say your wife is pure genius then to have sought her out for help," Blaise remarked rubbing his index finger across his chin. "She led you on a wild chase which you willingly took."

Draco scowled. "I was trying to find my wife."

"Nevertheless, I will have to find a way to enter into the filing room and detect any spells that would cause me to not seek out the location of Granger's file. I am certain she has placed spells to keep the location of her files from being touched by you. It would be easy for her to come up an ingenious spell to do so. She wasn't the Smartest Witch of our year for nothing but the question I pose: how did you get her? I can understand the Malfoys in need of needing someone gain back the respect lost for their part of the war, but I always thought it would be someone of our pedigree. How it was my surprise to find you married to a muggleborn witch and a war heroine to boot."

"Our relationship was volatile in the beginning as it always had been but something changed," Draco said thoughtfully. "I don't remember how things changed between us only that I wanted her and I would stop at nothing to have her. I would even betray my beliefs for her."

Blaise said nothing for a moment, drinking in what his friend had said. It wasn't hard to believe him as in the end, he had taken what he had wanted.

"But how do we gain access to those files? Lovegood isn't going to just going hand me over the keys and allow me to roam freely within the vault," Blaise pointed out fixing her hazel eyes upon his friend again.

"Well then I do believe it's time I talk to Father," Draco announced firmly.

* * *

Rose Granger watched in awe as her favorite doll levitated from the ground and moved across the room to settle near by. Ever since she had been three, she had experienced bursts of uncontrolled magic. It was once an explosion of her mother's favorite crystal vase to the appearance of a favorite treat floating in the air. Her mother had been proud of her magical abilities but also worried that the world outside - the muggles - would not be so accepting of her abilities and thus she had to learn to curb her desire to use them.

Her mother had spent months teaching her how to control her wandless abilities and Rose Marie Granger was a quick learner. She could summon things quietly without detections. She had learned that several times when she had managed to summon a box of cookies from the kitchen without notice from either her own mother or from her favorite babysitter, Aunt Bea.

"Mummy," Rose addressed one evening during dinner. Her winter blue eyes focused squarely upon the woman sitting across from her, "when will I get a wand?"

Hermione paused to finish chewing her food before answering, "Not until you turn eleven."

It took Rose a few more prodding questions before she learned that eleven was the magical age for children to gain their first wand and taste of the magical world. It would also be the time for her to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the same school her mother attended.

Had her father too?

Rose knew nothing of the man. There had been no pictures in the house of him and her mother never made a single mention of him. If she did, it had been whenever she had been sent out of the room and to her own. Some of her mom's magical friends whom came to visit never spoke of him either. This led the little girl to the conclusion that her father - whomever he was - had possibly died during the war or was a muggle and knew nothing of her mother's ability.

Or had he and thus the reason behind his absence in her life? Had he rejected her mother because she was different from the muggle women? Could he felt threatened by the possibility of a magical child?

Rose was sure she would never find the answer out to the questions. She had never broached the subject of her father because she always felt that it would sadden her mother greatly and perhaps for the time being, it was best she knew nothing of him for the moment.

Turning her attentions to the doll that had landed across the room, Rose from her place upon the floor and towards the doll. Although the doll had landed exactly where she had wanted it to, she still needed to prefect her magic more and she was certain she would learn it in time. There were more important matters at hand for her.

Her life, for one, was deteriorating. Her heart needed an operation soon in order to prolong her life and correct whatever problems it was causing within her tiny body. Her mother had spoken of this to her, explaining what the operation would entail and what sort of possible recovery would be needed. Rose was, in truth, scared. Her mother had assured her that everything would be all right and she would come out of the operation like a true Granger but she had seen the fear and worry in the dark depths of her mother's warm chocolate eyes. Her mother was only doing her best to assure her that she would be okay even if it meant concealing her own fears but it hadn't. Rose was worried that she would not come out of the operation but she would go through the operation if it saved her in some way.

"Rose! Rose!" Her mother's called out to her from the other room and broke through the young girl's reverie.

"Yes Mum?" She answered back loudly and drew her attention towards the opened bedroom door as if waiting for her mother to appear in the middle of the door frame.

"Dinner, luv!"

Heading towards the door, Rose paused for a moment to levitate her favorite bear into her arms and hugged it closely.

"Come along, Teddy, Mummy has dinner ready for us."

* * *

**Author's Note**: My deepest apologizes for this arriving late and this being a bit short. I had been working on it since the end of May and I had hoped to have it out during the middle of the month. Unfortunately real life has kept me from doing so. I have started working on the next chapter but there isn't a set time frame in mind for its release. All I continue to ask is that you have patience.

I do wish to thank all of my reviewers and those who have placed this story on their favorites and alerts for their continued support.

Most importantly I want to thank my French translator the most. Without her small prodding, these would not be getting out as they have been. So all thanks should go directly to her. :D!

Also the confrontation between Draco and Hermione is coming soon. x) Don't look for it to be pretty because neither of them have any intentions of bowing down to the other. And soon there will be a clearer explanation of Hermione leaving Draco.


	6. Six: Threat

**To Find You Again  
By Suseh**

**Chapter Six**

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Hovering over her desk with parchments strewed all over and potion texts laid open around her, Hermione worked feverishly upon the last bits of information upon the upcoming new potion they would be testing soon. The potion - if it worked - would help eliminate arthritis and joint pain all together that there would no longer be a need for aspirins or cream medications that only helped alleviate the problem for a few hours. No this would rid the body of it and work upon restoring the health of the joints, muscles, and nerve systems that were affected.

Hermione was hopeful with this project. She had been assigned to work on it more than several weeks ago when the head of the project had been reassigned to another post. She knew that if this was a success, then she would be given more problematic potions to work on and perhaps even more chances to prove herself to the Board of Directors of the company.

Hermione laid down her quill and ran her ink stained hand through her unruly curls. She was growing exhausted and felt the first pangs of a headache coming on. A quick glance at the clock told her it was nearly two in the afternoon and Rose would be home waiting for her mother's quick call to check in on her.

Rose's health was deteriorating. For the last few days, she had been complaining of small pains in her chest. Hermione had been alarmed and quickly had taken her to see her cardiologist. Her chest pains had worried her doctor and he voiced his concerns that the operation had to be done soon before the heart condition increased worse. Hermione would have no choice in the matter but to seek out her estranged husband for monetary support on this.

But when was she going to gain the courage to see him?

Clenching and unclenching her hand into a fist, Hermione had to do it soon and without further delay. Rose needed that operation soon and without a single delay. Still Hermione couldn't help but to hesitate. She had not seen her estranged husband since that fateful evening when she had discovered that he had a mistress and was seeing her behind her back. It had been the day she had gone out to look for him when she had caught him exiting the home of Astoria Greengrass. His tie had hung loose and his clothes looked like they had been placed upon his body haphazardly instead of being immaculately dressed. It was the first time Hermione had ever felt her heart break. After all this time she believed him to be faithful to her, he was going behind her back and seeing that...that - there had been no words suitable to describe Astoria. She knew the woman had a thing for her husband long before she and Draco became a couple and there had been times she boasted that she intended to be the next Lady Malfoy.

Unfortunately for Astoria that title was never granted to her. Instead it was claimed by Hermione herself after she and Draco were married but Astoria never forgave Hermione for taking Draco from her.

As far as Hermione was concerned now, Astoria was welcomed to have the title if it meant so much to her. She didn't want it nor did she need it anymore. She was happy now with whom she was and not what she had once been.

_RRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGG_

The sound of her cell phone drew her away from her memories and snapped her back into reality. She reached into the pocket of her lab coat and drew out the tiny phone, flipping open the lid, and placing it up against her ear.

"Hermione here," she spoke softly into the receiver.

"Hermione, thank the Gods!" Beatrice's frantic voice rang on the other line. "You have to come quick! It's Rose!"

Hermione could feel her heart plummeting into her stomach.

"Hermione, she collapsed at school," Bea croaked out trying to contain her sobs. "Please hurry!"

Hermione opened her mouth to assure that she was on her way but Bea had hung up before she could. She knew driving to the hospital was out of the question and so was using the floo system (after all muggles hospitals did not come equip with such a thing). She reached for her purse and her wand and stormed out of her room leaving her colleagues to gawk in her wake.

* * *

Blaise Zabini leaned back in the comforts of her velvet chair. A drink in his hand and his eyes glued to the fire that danced shadows across the spacious room of his study. He did not know why he had not told Draco what exactly he had learned from Luna. Perhaps it had been because of her plea to him to keep silent that had caused the Slytherin to say nothing but now he knew the absolute truth of the matter. He had always known Astoria to be as vindictive as her sister. Both sisters had always been vying for the convent role of Lady Malfoy since both of them entered into Hogwarts although Daphne had a far bigger advantage over her younger sister but that had not halted Astoria in the least.

"You can't tell him this," Luna had told him. "You cannot tell him that Hermione saw him exit Astoria's home that day she left."

But why not?, he wondered. Didn't Draco deserve to know what had caused the collapse of his marriage?

He had kept his promise to Luna however and had said nothing to Draco. He was certain that Draco had suspected he knew more than he had been willing to divulge but the former Slytherin Prince had not pushed the information. He could only surmise that he was waiting for Blaise to come to him willingly.

And this was where Blaise had to decide - his promise to Luna or his loyalty to Draco.

The sudden flare of the fire drew Blaise out of his stupor and caused him to push himself forward in his chair. His hazel eyes seeking out the cause.

"I wasn't sure if you were accepting floos," Luna's voice rang softly through the fire.

"Luna," Blaise breathed her name and pushed himself completely off the chair and down onto his knees before the fire image of Luna's face, "what do I owe of this call?"

"Can you come down to the hospital in muggle London?" She inquired. "St Mary's Hospital in North West London?"

"I can be there," he answered her confused as to why she would want to meet in a hospital - a _muggle_ hospital - of all things.

"Thank you," she replied cutting off communication and leaving the Slytherin once more to his thoughts.

* * *

Hermione Apparated into the alleyway of the hospital and quickly shoved her wand into the bottom of her purse. She moved out from the shadows and headed towards the entrance of the hospital. Her mind reeling from shock at the call from Bea earlier. She had thought her daughter could hold on for just a bit longer and allow her to seek out Draco for help.

"Hermione!" Bea called out once the older woman had caught sight of her entering. She rushed over to hug the young witch tightly allowing the tears to flow freely down her wrinkled features.

"What happened?" Hermione asked worriedly. She drew back from her friend and looked her squarely in her eyes as if search for the answers that would help her understand all of this.

"The details are a bit sketchy," Bea said. "One teacher said she just collapsed without word. They thought she fainted and tried to wake her up but when they couldn't, they called paramedics."

"Oh Gods," Hermione voice cracked in a sob as her hand flew over her mouth to halt the sound from resounding through the quiet hall of the hospital. She could see the nurses stop in their movements and draw attention towards her as if waiting to see if their assistance would be needed. "I need to see -"

Whatever Hermione was about to say was cut off by the appearance of Luna Lovegood. The Ravenclaw had entered the hospital in a rush heading directly towards them and drawing the former Gryffindor into a hug. The gesture surprised Hermione and caught her off-guard completely as she had made no call to let Luna know of Rose's condition as she had just learned it moments ago. So how did Luna know?

"Luna, what are you doing here?" She inquired curiously. Her voice still filled with the tears she was desperately trying to keep at bay.

"I was coming to see you when I saw Bea coming out of the apartment in a rush," she presented the explanation freely. She glanced over at the older woman who nodded her head. "Is Rose okay?"

"I don't know," Hermione answered withdrawing from her friend's embrace and stepping back. "I just arrived myself and I was going to go see what Rose's condition was when you appeared."

"Then go," Luna remarked pushing her friend towards the nurse's station. "We will be here waiting."

Once Hermione was gone, Luna turned towards the older woman whom had been silent throughout the exchange. She had never met Bea but the older woman seemed to have a strong influence within the life of her friend. This was a good thing, Luna decided, as Hermione needed an older figure to guide her through the most trying times of her life. Without Ron or Harry being a constant part of her life, she had no one else to turn to except the muggle woman.

"I am Luna Lovegood," the former Ravenclaw spoke up and extended her hand. "I went to school with Hermione."

The older woman smiled warmly and extended her own shaking Luna's hand firmly. She could not feel a single threat coming from the other witch and it seemed that Hermione trusted Luna more than anything in this world but Bea found herself wondering if Luna knew more about the young witch than she did. Certainly they seemed to be really good friends and the two of them went to school together, according to the blond before her, but did that mean she knew more about Hermione? Bea didn't know and there was only one way to find out.

"Are you really good friends with Hermione?" She asked with the curiosity of a child.

Luna shook her head. "Not entirely. We may have gone to school together but I didn't know her very well then as I do now. She mostly surrounded herself with Harry and Ron during those times or she surrounded herself with the tomes in the library at school. She wasn't the easiest to get along with either but I suppose she was too busy at the time trying to keep Harry alive and well out of the reach of Voldemort's hands."

Bea took in this new information.

"I don't know how much she has told you about our world and I think it's best you ask her further for it," Luna informed her with a look of seriousness upon her face. "I don't like to divulge too much unless she has given me permission to do so."

The subject was dropped as quickly as it came but not before Bea took note of the seriousness leaving the blonde's face only to be replaced once more with the look of dreaminess. It was something she had seen much earlier when she literally ran into the girl in the hallway of the apartment. She seemed to be lost in her own world and detached from that which was around her and now that same look was back upon her face.

With Hermione still at the nurse's station, neither of the women took notice of the arrival of Blaise Zabini as he arrived at the hospital. His usual wizard robes replaced by more comfortable muggle slacks and polo shirt. He had made no effort to for the moment to draw himself further into this muggle situation. Instead he hung back watching Luna interact with a muggle woman whom he assumed was a friend of Hermione's or perhaps even her aunt. He shifted his gaze away allowing his hazel eyes to sweep across the sea of muggle faces until they landed upon the back of the former Gryffindor. He could see her posture was rigged. Whatever the nurses were telling her didn't seem to be anything good.

Deciding it was time to present himself, Blaise moved towards Luna and the muggle woman.

"Luna," he said her name causing her to turn quickly around to face him.

"Blaise," she returned softly. Her blue eyes softening at the sight of him.

"What's going on?" He asked looking towards Hermione.

"I don't think it's good news," Bea offered her input with a small shake of her head. "Rose collapsed at school and we have no idea of her condition at this time."

"How is Hermione taking this?" He questioned uncertain of whether or not to contact Draco and have him come down here. He knew it would be a bad idea to inform him but he also knew that if Rose didn't live and he learned of her, things would get even more uglier than they were already. Perhaps he could discuss this rationally with the Gryffindor once they learned of Rose's condition.

"Not good," Bea replied sadly. "Her only daughter and she's torn with doing what she thinks is best."

Blaise took in this information and realized the muggle knew more than she appeared to. Maybe she would be a great ally in what he knew Hermione would not like. He opened his mouth to say something when he caught sight of Hermione heading back in their direction and quickly closed it.

"My dear, what is it?" Bea asked stepping forward and taking the former Gryffindor's hand in her own.

"They don't know," she whispered brokenly. "The doctor is still trying to see what caused her collapse."

Luna craned her neck and looked around. There off to the side was a small empty waiting room and she ushered them all inside closing the door quietly behind them. It would offer them a place to contemplate, offer support, and talk without disturbance until the doctor came looking for them.

Bea steered Hermione into the room and into a chair while she took one next to her.

"She will be fine, my dear," she promised her. "Rose is strong and she will pull through. Just watch and see."

Hermione broke down and sobbed. Her most precious daughter was fighting to stay alive and she could do nothing - NOTHING at all save her. It was killing her inside. She couldn't imagine life without Rose and certainly she was going to see to it that Rose had a fulfilling life if she had to sell her soul to the devil himself to insure that.

Blaise knelt down in front of the broken Gryffindor and removed the handkerchief from his pocket, extending it out to her.

"Here," he said smoothly, "dry your tears and let's plot the next course in action to save your daughter's life."

The sound of his voice startled Hermione from her tears that she lifted her red tear-streaked face to look at the Slytherin. She was surprised to find him here and she could only surmise that it had been Luna's doing. She couldn't be angry with the Ravenclaw. She knew Luna had good intentions and was sure she wanted Blaise to put in some sense to Hermione about seeking out Draco for help.

"Sorry you have to see me this way," she murmured drying the wetness from her face and eyes. She loathed the idea that the Slytherin had found her in such a vulnerable spot.

"Hermione, don't you think it's time Draco knows the truth," Blaise said bluntly and to the point of the matter. "He could help you out with this."

"And make demands I am unwilling to give into," she retorted. "I won't return to a marriage where there are three of us."

"Let me put it this way then, Hermione, seeing as you give me no choice in the matter: Either you seek out and tell Draco about the condition of his daughter's health or I summon him right here and now and tell him what you have been hiding from him." He had laid the threat down at her feet and waited for her decision. He could see her eyes narrowing in downright fury that he was forcing her to make a decision right then and there without giving her a chance to decide upon her own.

"Bastard!" She snarled finding herself cornered and restrained by the two women at her side. They were holding her back to keep her from striking the Slytherin squarely upon his smug face but deep within she knew he was right. She had to seek out Draco quickly and with no further delay. It was for the best that Rose had her operation within the next few days and perhaps she would be able to live the full and healthy life that Hermione had always wanted for her daughter. She could deal with whatever deal the devil placed in the contract.

Hermione slumped back in her chair in defeat and sagged her shoulders in defeat.

"I will go see him after I know of the diagnosis of Rose's condition," she whispered her answer.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Forgive me for this being a bit late but real life has kept from me from doing any writing lately and this might continue for awhile. My dad ended up hurting himself and he may have to have surgery to repair an injury he sustained from work. So writing the next chapter may not come forth for the time being but I have planned it out in my head. Well most of it.

As you can see we are now heading for the confrontation between Draco and Hermione which should be in the next chapter unless my muse sees fit to throw more curve balls in place instead.

I wish to thank those who have reviewed and left me constructive critiques. It has been most appreciated than anything. I also wish to thank those who have placed this story on alert or have favorited it. It makes me happy. :D

Thank you all!


	7. Seven: Hello Draco

**To Find You Again**  
**By Suseh**

**Chapter Seven**

The moment she Apparated into the alleyway behind the large corporate building of Malfoy Inc near muggle London, Hermione's arrival was announced with an reverberating 'POP' that echoed down the darkened alley causing a cat to hiss in irritation from it's place near a dumpster and race across the side of the building like a darkened blob of a silhouette. Her stomach twisted in protest at the thought of facing her estranged husband again but she had no choice in the matter now not when Rose was in the hospital waiting for the operation.

Hermione leaned her head briefly against the clammy moistened brick of the building opposite of her husband's own building and closed her eyes for a moment allowing herself the chance to build the Gryffindor courage that seemed to be elusive to her this afternoon.

She reopened her eyes again and stuffed her wand into the wide mouth of her purse but keeping the handle in plain view as a precaution. She knew that Draco was going to be furious with her once she explained her reasons for her visit and certainly there was bound to be some contract with the devil himself that would give him whatever he wanted. She was quite certain that he would demand access to their daughter and she was more than willing to give it to him if it helped Rose. If she could have found other means necessary to save Rose, she would have never bothered in the least with coming here but she didn't and he was her last and only hope.

Pushing herself away from the brick wall, Hermione propelled herself into the afternoon sunlight and the crowd that seemed to moving to and fro in front of the building. Her courage now coursed through her body causing her to give not a single further thought to what she was doing here as she reached out to open the glass door of the building and enter into the coolness of the reception floor. The marble floors gleamed from the polish they had been given quite earlier in the morning. There were several business men standing around in clumps of small groups discussing the latest in stocks and technology that were on their way to revolutionize the wizarding world.

_I don't want to be here_, the mantra played itself over and over again in the back of her mind. She could feel a small ounce of courage waning in her body as she drew closer to the reception desk but Hermione knew she could not back out now. A part of her hoped that he wasn't here and she would be able to flee quickly out the door before the secretary could ask her name but the other part of her dared her forward calling her a coward and deeming her not the girl who had helped Harry Potter in the past.

The voice had been cruel and calculating in its choice of words causing Hermione's spine to stiffen in cold fury at being called a coward. She would show it! She halted her steps in front of the secretary whom seemed to be immersed in a conversation with the person on the other line. The conversation had the attractive brunette slouched over the large monthly planner, her quill moving across the parchment paper adding in important information in the date boxes. Hermione wondered if she should clear her throat and draw the woman's eyes to her for a moment but she could hear the man's voice on the other end of the phone. The man's voice was angry (_Draco_, Hermione thought of her husband immediately) and was directing it at the poor secretary who was doing her best to not let his harsh words upset her. If the woman was talking to her estranged husband, it was best to let her finish and not alert Draco to her arrival. Instead she waited patiently for the conversation to finish and the secretary to place the receiver down.

"May I help you?" The secretary inquired once she had placed her quill down and turned her head upward to look at the woman standing before her. Although she had never met the other woman before until now, she swore silently that she had seen her someplace but where had eluded her entirely.

"I am here to see Mr. Draco Malfoy," Hermione announced firmly. "Is he in his office?"

"Yes ma'am," the woman answered with a nod of her head, "but he is preparing for a meeting. Is there something I can help you with?"

So he was here, she thought and moved towards the set of lifts in front of her. She turned her head back towards the woman and said:

"No."

The secretary scrambled quickly to her feet intent on stopping the other woman from heading up to her boss's floor. The woman had given her no indication as to whom she was or what sort of business she had with the boss sent the secretary trailing after her to stop her from pestering her boss.

"Ma'am!" The secretary called out to Hermione trying desperately to halt her further from reaching the lifts. "You don't have an appointment! I can't let y-"

"I don't need one," Hermione cut her off pausing only for a moment to turn once more towards the agitated secretary. The next set of words that flew out of her mouth seemed to fall easily as if to settle matters once and for all. "I am his wife."

The secretary could only stare at Hermione with wide recognizing eyes. She understood now where she had seen the other brunette before. There was a portrait of her upstairs in her boss's office hanging over one of his fireplaces. She had only had a glimpse of it once when she had come to apply for the downstairs job. She had remembered how she had first seen the imposing portrait upon her entrance and noticed the warmth in the woman's brown eyes. They seemed to welcome her into the cold office of her husband's domain. A smile tugged on the corners of her mouth as if she knew a secret and was bound by oath to not tell but that didn't stop the woman from being smug about it.

The secretary remembered once seeing her boss talking to it. She couldn't remember the words he had said but knew that whatever she had done had angered him.

As the lift doors opened, Hermione moved to step in and watched them close upon the woman. She could see the secretary had recognized her somehow from there. Where? Hermione didn't know. She had never once met any of Draco's employees and he had never introduced her either.

_How could he when you walked out_, the voice whispered.

As the lift made it's way up to the tenth floor, Hermione moved back to lean against the wood paneling and shook her head choosing to ignore the voice all together. She refused to be the one to be blamed for the situation she had been placed into now. No, she blamed that entirely on Draco's need to look outside their marriage for something she had always been willing to give him inside their bedroom. It had been, in all sense and truth, a large blow to her self-esteem.

No longer wishing to dwell upon the past, Hermione pushed it to the back of her mind and focused on the more pressing issues at hand – her impending meeting with Draco. She knew she was going in there to bargain with the devil himself and there would always be consequences to come. She was more than certain she would not escape this unscathed. Draco was bound to be furious at her for keeping their daughter a secret and also keeping her from seeing those precious moments that had been hers.

Hermione inhaled her breath sharply when the lift bounced to a stop. She could feel the Gryffindor courage slowly seeping out of her pores as the doors opened to an empty hallway.

_Here goes nothing_, she thought stepping out and ran her hands nervously over her robes. For a moment, she wanted to take a few steps backwards back into the lift and return to the safety of the first level floor. She knew there she could easily slip out once more from his life but she wondered briefly if by chance his secretary had not warned him ahead and he would have guards waiting for her should she even dare try to escape once more.

Seeing that there was no other way out of this, Hermione straightened herself and made her way down the spacious hallway and towards the set of large double doors she knew that would lead her to Draco's inner sanctum. She stopped before them and raised her hand to knock.

"Come in," came a muffled voice from the other side of the door.

Hermione's clammy hand reached for the gold knob, turning it and pushing the door open. In front of her, Draco stood over his desk. Strands of platinum blond curtaining his face from view as his head was cast downward looking at the papers in front of him.

"Did you bring me what I –"

The words died upon his lips as he lifted his head and found the one person he thought he would never see again.

"Hello Draco."

* * *

**Author's Notes**: And there we have it: the beginning of the confrontation. XD I had to end it here on a cliffhanger. I don't like to do it but I really wanted to give you guys something to look forward to.

I do apologize for this being late. It has not been my intentions of allowing a few months to go by but real life has been sending me hurdle after hurdle and keeping me from finishing up this chapter. I really had no intentions of leaving it here but as I said above I wanted to give you guys something to tie you over for the time being. I do not know when the next chapter will come out. I can only tell you that it should be sometime between now and the end of June. I am actually waiting to see if my sister is going to be put into surgery.


	8. Eight: Hell To Pay

**To Find You Again  
By Suseh**

**Chapter Eight**

The moment the words left her mouth Hermione found herself wishing she had never said a thing. She could see Draco's silver blue eyes darkening like storms upon the ocean's horizon - dark, foreboding, and filled with rage. It had been a long time since she had last seen such emotional turmoil swimming from their depths that it caused her to recoil visibly under their glare.

She did not want the rest of the building's occupants - mainly those stationed upon the same floor - to be privy to the arguments, rage, and downright row she was sure to come that she closed the door with a soft 'click' behind her.

"Afraid _wife_?" He asked in a biting tone as he kept his chilling gaze upon his small form. "Afraid the others might learn the truth about why my estranged wife suddenly appearing out of the blue?"

Hermione narrowed her own eyes at her husband. Of course she didn't want them to know why she was here as she was certain there would be no pleasantness to come. Part of her wandered if coming here was worth it but the thought of losing Rose kept her firm in her resolve to remain until she had secured the funds needed to save their daughter's life.

And if this meant selling her soul to the devil himself, then so be it. She would do it willingly for Rose.

Hermione swallowed her fear and put a foot forward, stepping closer to the large mahogany desk that stood impressively in the center of the room. In her head so many various ways of beginning the conversation played themselves in her head but none of them seemed to be right. She didn't want to come out forthright with the news knowing it would not be well-received, not without proof. Draco would accept nothing less without proof of Rose's paternity.

"No," she replied calmly as she let her purse slide down her arm into one of the leather chairs that sat in front of the desk. Her chocolate-colored eyes held that of her husband's own gaze. "I just don't believe that anyone within this building needs to know reason for my visit."

For a moment, there seemed to be no further exchange as Draco seemed to be processing her return to his side but he knew Hermione more than anyone. This visit was forced and coming here had a price, which seemed to intrigue him for the moment.

Since she had walked out all those years ago, Draco had done everything within his power and by using the Malfoy name as well as its resources to try to find her. Six years of searching the muggle world had yielded nothing. Neither sign nor trace of her could be found in any of the muggle areas he had sent private detectives to. Every one of them always came back with, "Hermione Malfoy doesn't seem to exist anywhere."

He had all but given up trying to find her. His parents had been sympathetic to his plight and had not understood why Hermione had walked out as she had. Something had happened to cause it, they had both insisted, but neither of them could give the reason why. They were just as baffled as he had been but it had been his mother who soothingly assured him he would find her.

And he had.

In truth, he had not expected to find her at the fundraiser but there she had been dressed nicely and under a name he had heard repeated throughout most of the earlier part of the evening. It had been praises from her boss and those of her co-workers that seemed to impress him the most. He had been anxious to meet her that night and when she had arrived, he had been stunned to find that it had been his estranged wife!

All this time she had been under his nose.

He had been enraged when she had been introduced to him as Jean Logan. He had intended to confront her once he had managed to whisk her from sight, even sending Blaise out to keep her from escaping him but she had slipped through his fingers.

He still did not understand how she managed to get through Blaise but it no longer mattered now. She was here and still she had said nothing further to give him any incentive for her appearance. Had she thought it wouldn't be long before he found her and dragged her back?

"So you seem to have your way back home, tell me Hermione," he began coldly as he took his seat, "how much?"

"Three hundred thousand galleons," she answered without hesitation.

"That's a rather expensive muggle surgery," Draco quipped raising a slender platinum brow in the process.

Hermione's chocolate-colored eyes narrowed. "It's not for me," she snapped at him. "It's for a little girl."

This angered Draco much more than he had thought possible. How _dare_ she approach him for help over a child that was **not** his!

"Seek the father then," he snarled dismissing her presence and opening a folder just off to his right. He no longer wanted to continue any further conversation with his wife.

"I am," she returned reaching down for her purse and pulling out papers before tossing them onto his desk and right into his face. Her entire body shook with rage at his insinuation that she had been unfaithful to him while they were still married.

"Rose is your daughter, you bastard!"

Her admission seemed to hit him like a ton of bricks momentarily ceasing any further thought from existing. Papers of his blood type and those of Rose's that told him they were a match. He had a daughter…a daughter he had not even known existed up until now.

But when he finally recovered, he turned his darkened eyes back upon his estranged wife. He was furious with her beyond measure and he had every intentions of dishing out every possible punishment to his thief of a wife.

"How dare you!" He snarled in a rage. He rose from his seat and advanced around his desk stalking towards her. "You bitch!"

Hermione flinched at the harshness of his tone and took several steps back trying to keep herself from his reach. Fleetingly she wondered if Draco had any wards set upon the building that kept any witch or wizard from Apparating. She turned her eyes nervously towards the closed door and considered running out but Draco was a skilled Legilimen and seemed to have read her thoughts that he reached out grabbing her upper arms in a tight grip.

"Do you think I am foolish enough to let you walk out that door again?" He demanded softly. There was a dangerous underlining tone that caused Hermione to halt any thought of struggling against him. "You selfishly took away the years of knowing my only child from me…and now, my darling wife, you will pay for it."

Hermione swallowed, trying desperately to keep the tears at bay. She knew more than anyone in this world that her punishment was not something to be taken lightly. She was all too aware of what could be in store from her. Draco had the means necessary to gain custody of Rose and insure Hermione could have no further contact with Rose; and for Hermione it was a punishment she could not live with.

"Please," she whispered softly, "let go. You're hurting me."

Draco let her go and pushed her away, disgusted, He didn't even want to be in the same room with her at the moment. He even preferred she had never reappeared in his life but he knew if she had not, he would have never known of Rose nor her condition.

"What's wrong with her?" He inquired lacing his slender fingers through his platinum hair.

"Her heart," she answered. She moved her hands to rub her sore upper arms and bring back some feeling into them.

"I will give you the money," he stated looking like the predator who had cornered his query and was now ready to give the deathblow, "but I want two things from you, Hermione."

Hermione wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to know what it was he wanted. Certainly it was not going to be something she was going to like in the least but she had come to bargain with the devil and knew there would always be a price with his help.

"One: I want you back home in my bed where you be-"

Hermione cut him off, "No, I will not! I am willing to grant you access to our daughter but I will not return to a marriage where a husband divides his time between his family and his mistress. I will not allow Rose to see her father make a mockery of her mother."

Mistress? Draco knotted his brows together in confusion. He had no mistress and certainly never had. He had been loyal, as ever to his promised vows to her since the day he had taken them before and those of the wizarding world. Malfoys did not take lovers once they were wed, did she not learn that from his mother?

"Mistress?" He demanded angrily as his fist came crashing down onto his desk. "Bloody hell, Woman, did you learn nothing about the Malfoy Family from my Mother?"

Hermione jumped. Had she been foolish in her belief he had cheated on her?

"My decision is final upon the matter; you will return to my side and bed as my wife," he announced giving her no further room to argue anything more upon the matter. "I will pick –"

His words were cut off again as his office door opened to reveal Astoria Greengrass in the doorway. Her mere presence caused Hermione's slender form to stiffen and her eyes to narrow at her husband. There was no way in hell now she would even think to return to this farce of a marriage.

"I believe this conversation is over," Hermione spoke picking up her purse from the chair and turning her back to her husband as she made her way towards the door.

Draco glared at Astoria who seemed to be pleased at the interruption she had caused.

"Hermione," he called out to her causing his wife to halt in her steps and half turn around to face him, "Don't try to run either, I will find you and there will be hell to pay."

Hermione turned around and stormed out of the office leaving the two alone.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: And there we have it- the confrontation between Draco and Hermione. I tried as best to add elements from the original one-shot but I also wanted to do something different than I had previously done.

What did you think of Astoria's unexpected appearance? xD I had thought having her arrive was a wonderful cliffhanger.

I do not know when the next update will be. I wanted to keep my promise for a June release but with my sister having to go in this summer for foot surgery (plus she broke her toe so they have to fix that too. My sister is a huge klutz. xD), I cannot make an estimated guess for the next release at this time. It could be September before another release comes or I may surprise you with something either before or after my birthday next month. It really depends on how this summer's events play out here. So we will have to see.

I want to thank all the reviewers and those who have placed this story upon their alerts and their favorites. I really appreciate the support.


	9. Nine: Luna and Blaise Plot

**To Find You Again  
By Suseh**

**Chapter Nine**

By the time Hermione arrived at the hospital, the anger she felt towards Draco had yet to diminish. She should have realized that he was doing everything in his power to pull the wool over her eyes and try to convince her that he sincerely had been loyal to their wedding vows; and she had almost bought every bit of the lie. She had almost willingly considered the scene she had come upon had been nothing short of a misunderstanding but her mind had quickly changed the moment Astoria Greengrass entered the room.

Her arrival had signaled to Hermione the conversation between she and Draco was over and whatever he was going to request in return would have to wait for another time. She had no intentions of staying there and be the witnessing third party to whatever reason Astoria had arrived for.

_She can have him_, she thought bitterly as she rung for the lift to take her up to the floor where her daughter had placed at. She reached up to wipe the tears that had fallen from her eyes. It would not do good for her to go into Rose's room in a mess. Her daughter's health would probably not be able to handle it and certainly when Draco arrived, she was going to have to explain to Rose who he was.

A soft ding signaled the arrival of the lift and Hermione pushed all further thoughts of Draco and Astoria to the back of her mind to be dealt with at another time. She took a step forward into the lift and pressed the seventh floor button. She watched the doors close and once more she was alone, ensconced within the small box as it made it's way to the requested floor.

The lift gave a slight jolt letting Hermione know that she arrived. As the doors slid open, she stepped out and gave a quick assessment before propelling herself forward and towards the room where her daughter was waiting for her.

"Good afternoon, Ms Logan," a nurse greeted warmly as she stepped out of one of the rooms. A smile tugging upon her lips that reached upon into her blue eyes.

"Good afternoon," Hermione returned before entering into Rose's room.

"Mom!" Rose exclaimed looking up from her coloring books and smiling brightly.

"Hello there darling," Hermione remarked leaning down to place a kiss upon her daughter's forehead. "How are you feeling?"

Before Rose could reply, Luna entered the room carrying two small cups and placed one down near Rose.

"Oh hello Hermione," Luna said surprised to see her there so early. "If I had known you would be here, I would have brought you some tea."

"It's okay," Hermione said waving her hand as she moved around the hospital bed to sit down next to her daughter. "Thank you, Luna, for being here."

For a moment, Luna considered asking Hermione how the meeting with Draco went but decided it was best to wait until they were alone. She knew Rose had no knowledge of her father yet and she had no desire to upset the little girl any further at this moment.

Instead she sat down on the chair across them and watched Hermione and Rose interact together. It was apparent that mother and daughter were extremely close. Rose and Hermione seemed to be lost in their own world when they were together. Luna even realized that she seemed to be intruding upon their moment together and briefly wondered if she should leave.

She rose from her seat when Hermione's head lifted upward.

"Luna, leaving so soon?" She questioned her Ravenclaw friend.

The blond answered, "I am intruding upon your time with Rose. I think it's best I go."

"Will you wait so we can talk?" She asked hoping Luna would remain just awhile so she could tell her what happened between both she and Draco.

"How about I meet you in the café on the first level in thirty minutes for dinner?"

Hermione considered the request and thought dinner would be nice between them. She was looking forward to spending some time unwinding and talking to her friend. It would also keep her not far away from her daughter. She would let the nurses know of her whereabouts and would be able to retrieve her should anything happen to Rose.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Hermione said before drawing back her attentions to Rose and her coloring book.

* * *

Luna quietly slipped out of the room leaving mother and daughter to enjoy the rest of the time to themselves. As she made her way towards the lifts, she found herself halting in her steps upon seeing Blaise heading from that direction. She had not recalled any Owls from him earlier that would speak of his arrival and she was determined to cut him off before he bothered Hermione in any way.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded glaring at the former Slytherin.

Blaise found himself thawed from finding Hermione and glared down at his former lover.

"I need to see Granger," he said as he prepared to maneuver around and head in the direction of the nurse's station to inquire of Rose's room.

"Hermione is busy," Luna stated firmly. "She and Rose need time together."

"Then her time with Rose will be cut short here soon," Blaise returned. "Draco found out that Rose is here and he's coming to see his daughter."

_This could not be good_, Luna considered silently. She wasn't sure whatsoever if she should return to the room and draw Hermione out to tell her about this or wait to see if Draco did arrive.

And if he did, would Astoria be trailing behind?

Astoria's arrival with Draco would only cause further problems, Luna was certain of it. She knew Astoria had already done enough damage to the Malfoy marriage and her continued need to dig her claws into Draco only further added the fuel to the fire. According to Blaise, Draco had never had any sort of an affair with Astoria and both were certain that Astoria had something to do with Hermione's departure from the Malfoy Family fold.

Exactly how she managed it all, neither were certain of the answer but both were determined to find out.

"Astoria will come with him," Blaise provided the news to the former Ravenclaw.

"Tell me something I don't know," Luna snorted. "Something needs to be done about _that_ woman or she's going to be the end of Draco and Hermione's marriage."

Silently Blaise agreed. He knew his friend had never gotten over Hermione leaving him and done everything possible to find her again but every tip and every sighting of her had led the Malfoy heir to dead ends and near misses. He could not understand why Draco kept Astoria around.

"What do you suggest we do?" He inquired curiously.

"We need to figure out what exactly Astoria did to cause Hermione to believe Draco was having an affair with her," she returned with a mischievous smile. "And once we have the answers, we can enjoy the fireworks."

After a moment's breath of silence, Blaise gave his former lover a smile. "You should have been a Slytherin."

* * *

Stepping out of her daughter's room shortly after the nurse arrived with dinner, Hermione made her way towards the lifts determined to enjoy a small relaxing dinner with Luna. She could imagine the questions Luna would poise the moment the two of them sat down to eat. She should not have kept her promise to tell her everything but Luna deserved to know, she supposed. It was Luna who had been her secret keeper and the one who Hermione had picked in the end to be Rose's godmother.

Long ago she would have chosen Ginny to be Rose's godmother but the relationship between Hermione and the Weasley Family had soured shortly after the war. Mostly due to the fact she had chosen Draco in the end. She did not blame Ginny in the least for choosing family over a friend. In truth, she would have done the same if she were in Ginny's shoes but the sting had remained. She decided then and there that there was no point in dwelling upon the what haves and the what not's.

Pausing before the lift doors, Hermione shifted her weight to her other foot as she waited for the lift doors to open and when they did, she found herself face-to-face with the two people she had no desire to see - Draco and Astoria.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: My muse is on a role this week. I think it's mostly due to the slowing down that has been going on here at home or she might realize that the summer might be a bit more busier than first decided and wanted to offer a gift beforehand.

Once more she leaves you with two cliffhangers: Blaise and Luna trying to figure out Astoria's game and Draco and Astoria vs Hermione. Get ready to rumble! xD So I am going to ask my readers: what do you think is going to happen?


End file.
